Open loop power oscillator doppler radar

ABSTRACT

Described are radar systems and methods. A transmit pulse is generated by the radar system. A first portion of the transmit pulse is processed by the radar system to form transmit pulse data. A second portion of the transmit pulse is directed by the radar system into a monitored volume. A return signal is received by the radar system, the return signal at least partially comprising a portion of the second portion of the transmit pulse reflected by one or more objects in the monitored volume. The return signal is processed, by the radar system, to form return signal data.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of, and priority to U.S. PatentApplication No. 61/675,120, filed on Jul. 24, 2012, and titled “Methodand Apparatus for Pulse Doppler Radar,” the entire contents of which areincorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE TECHNOLOGY

The present technology relates generally to radar systems and, morespecifically, to Doppler radar systems using open loop oscillator powersources.

BACKGROUND

Existing radar systems can be complex electronic and mechanical designscomprising many systems, subsystems, and components. Often a given radardesign is performed at the circuit level, resulting in an architecturewhich is not particularly scalable to different monitoring volumes ordetection applications. For example, current Doppler radar systemstypically rely on stable frequency generation techniques and subsequentpulse shaping that typically require low efficiency, high cost RadioFrequency (RF) amplifiers such as klystrons, traveling wave tubeamplifiers (TWTAs), or coherent solid-state RF sources.

The availability of new technology can facilitate the design ofapplication-specific radars, while providing more generality inpotential applications. Fast scalar processors and inexpensive computermemory can be useful for this design approach. Additionally, “System ona Chip” (SOC) and “Digital Signal Processing (DSP) on a Chip” (DOC)technologies can be used for modular radar system designs.

SUMMARY OF THE TECHNOLOGY

Therefore there is a need for Doppler radar systems capable of usingnon-coherent power sources or power sources of instable frequency. Inone aspect, there is a method performed by a Doppler radar system. Themethod can include generating, by the radar system, a transmit pulse.The method can include processing, by the radar system, a first portionof the transmit pulse to form transmit pulse data. The method caninclude directing, by the radar system, a second portion of the transmitpulse into a monitored volume. The method can include receiving, by theradar system, a return signal, the return signal at least partiallycomprising a portion of the second portion of the transmit pulsereflected by one or more objects in the monitored volume. The method caninclude processing, by the radar system, the return signal to formreturn signal data.

In some embodiments, the method can include providing, by the radarsystem, the transmit pulse data and the return signal data to a Dopplerprocessing module; and comparing, by the Doppler processing module, thetransmit pulse data and the return signal data to determine at least oneof relative phase information and relative frequency information.

In some embodiments, generating, by the radar system, the transmit pulseincludes generating the transmit pulse with one or more open loop poweroscillators. In some embodiments, the one or more open loop poweroscillators include one or more magnetrons. In some embodiments, themethod can include generating the transmit pulse with a first open looppower oscillator; and generating a second transmit pulse with a secondopen loop power oscillator. In some embodiments, the method can includetuning a local oscillator based on one or more frequencies of thetransmit pulse; and down converting the return signal based on a signalfrom the local oscillator to form an intermediate frequency signal. Insome embodiments, the method can include match filtering, by the radarsystem, the transmit pulse data and the return signal data to produce amatch filtering result. In some embodiments, the method can includeperforming, by the radar system, at least one of Doppler processing,clutter mapping, and constant false alarm rate processing on the matchfiltering result.

In another aspect, there is a Doppler radar system. The Doppler radarsystem can include one or more RF sources. The Doppler radar system caninclude a radar processing module configured to: generate, with the oneor more RF sources, a transmit pulse; process a first portion of thetransmit pulse to form transmit pulse data; direct a second portion ofthe transmit pulse into a monitored volume; receive a return signal, thereturn signal at least partially comprising a portion of the secondportion of the transmit pulse reflected by one or more objects in themonitored volume; and process the return signal to form return signaldata.

In another aspect, there is a Doppler radar system. The Doppler radarsystem can include one or more RF sources for generating a plurality oftransmit pulses; a coupler connected to the one or more RF sources,wherein the coupler receives the transmit pulses from the one or more RFsources; a radar processing module connected to the coupler, wherein thecoupler is configured to direct a first portion of a transmit pulse ofthe plurality of transmit pulses from the one or more RF sources to theradar processing module; an antenna assembly connected to the coupler,wherein the coupler is configured to direct a second portion of thetransmit pulse from the one or more RF sources to the antenna assembly,and the antenna assembly configured to receive a return signal at leastpartially comprising a portion of the second portion of the transmitpulse reflected by one or more objects in a monitored volume and directthe return signal to the radar processing module; wherein the radarprocessing module is further configured to: process the first portion ofthe transmit pulse to form transmit pulse data; and process the returnsignal to form return signal data.

In some embodiments, the Doppler radar system can include a Dopplerprocessing module configured to compare the transmit pulse data and thereturn signal data to determine at least one of relative phaseinformation and relative frequency information. In some embodiments, theDoppler radar system can include one or more open loop poweroscillators, wherein the radar processing module is further configuredto generate the transmit pulse with the one or more open loop poweroscillators.

In some embodiments, the Doppler radar system can include a first openloop power oscillator and a second open loop power oscillator and theradar processing module can be further configured to generate thetransmit pulse with the first open loop power oscillator and generate asecond transmit pulse with the second open loop power oscillator.

In some embodiments, the Doppler radar system can include a localoscillator; and the radar processing module can be further configured totune the local oscillator based on one or more frequencies of thetransmit pulse; and down convert the return signal based on a signalfrom the local oscillator to form an intermediate frequency signal.

In some embodiments, the radar processing module can be furtherconfigured to match filter the transmit pulse data and the return signaldata to produce a match filtering result.

In some embodiments, the radar processing module can be furtherconfigured to perform at least one of Doppler processing, cluttermapping, and constant false alarm rate processing on the match filteringresult.

Other aspects and advantages of the present technology will becomeapparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, illustrating the principles of thetechnology by way of example only.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the presenttechnology, as well as the technology itself, will be more fullyunderstood from the following description of various embodiments, whenread together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a radar system;

FIG. 2 illustrates a Pulse Modulator slice;

FIG. 3 illustrates a Radar Interface Card slice;

FIG. 4 illustrates a Waveguide Deck;

FIG. 5 illustrates a Radio Frequency Module slice;

FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary signal flow chart; and

FIG. 7 depicts a Signal Processing Module slice.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The radar technology described herein can include radar architectures,radar systems, and methods. In some embodiments, the technology canutilize SOC devices and DOC devices. For example, the technology caninclude using processors that permit implementation of signal processingtechniques within a relatively small space and using a power constrainedplatform. In some embodiments, the technology includes Doppler radarsystems and methods based on low cost, high efficiency, non-phase lockedand non-coherent self-oscillating frequency sources (e.g., magnetrons).

In some embodiments, the technology can capture information about thetransmit pulse. For example, the radar technology can oversample atransmit pulse to generate and store a reference transmit pulse templatefor each unique radar pulse. The transmit pulse template can be comparedagainst the received pulse to determine, for example, the relative phaseand frequency information necessary for Doppler processing.Beneficially, by capturing information about each transmit pulse, thesystem can utilize non-phase locked and non-coherent self-oscillatingfrequency sources (e.g., magnetrons) for applications where such sourcesare typically inadequate.

The technology can be used for Moving Target Indicator (MTI), MovingTarget Detection (MTD), and Doppler signal processing. For example, thetechnology can include a magnetron radar using built-in processors thatmaintains high dynamic range. By employing a high dynamic range, ahigh-fidelity template of the transmit pulse can be generated.Beneficially, the technology can provide enhanced detection performanceof Doppler processing for numerous classes of targets with small RadarCross Section (RCS).

In some embodiments, the technology can include a pulse modulator thatcreates a square-wave and stable pulse from the non-phase locked and/ornon-coherent self-oscillating frequency source, thereby reducingundesirable frequency artifacts from the oscillator. In someembodiments, the technology can include additional signal processingmethodologies described herein to optimize the transmit pulse and reducedeleterious effects of temperature drift and production part variation.

Exemplary Radar System Architecture

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of radar system 100. In the illustratedembodiment, radar system 100 includes five sub-assemblies or “slices,”Pulse Modulator (PM) slice 105, Radar Interface Card (RIC) slice 110,Radio Frequency Module (RFM) slice 115, Signal Processing Module (SPM)slice 120, and Power Supply slice 125, and Waveguide Deck (WGD) 130.Radar system 100 can be designed to nominally function at, for example,9.410 GHz, +/−15 MHz for some applications. Radar system 100 can operateat any frequency that, for example, magnetrons 205 or other RF sourcescan produce. PM slice 105 can generate an RF pulse for eachtransmission. In some embodiments, each RF pulse can be of a differentphase and/or frequency. The transmit pulse can be sent to WGD 130, wheredirectional circulator 405 (e.g., a three port directional circulator)can direct the RF transmit pulse to antenna 410 for transmission intothe environment (e.g., the monitored volume or space). A portion of thetransmit pulse energy can be coupled off prior to directional circulator405 via waveguide coupler 415, and sent to RFM slice 115. In theillustrated embodiment, radar system 100 can be a monostatic design.Antenna 410 can subsequently receive the incoming return signal (e.g.,the reflected signal or the signal resulting from the transmit pulsereflecting off of objects in the monitored volume). Directionalcirculator 405 can direct the return signal to the RFM slice 115.

Referring to RFM slice 115, a first frequency down-conversion of thetransmit pulse and subsequent incoming return signal can be performed byRF mixer 505 of RFM slice 115. Local Oscillator Module (LOM) 705 of SPMslice 120 can generate a first local oscillator signal LO1 with aprecise frequency that is applied to the return signal at RF mixer 505,producing an intermediate frequency (IF) signal. LO1 can be calculatedbased on frequency analysis of the transmitted pulse. Beneficially, bycalculating LO1 based on the transmitted pulse, the frequency variationsof magnetrons 205 (or other RF sources) can be accounted for. This IFsignal can be nominally centered around 1800 MHz, and can be outputtedto the Based Band Module (BBM) 710 of SPM slice 120. LOM 705 of SPMslice 120 can generate a second local oscillator signal LO2, nominallycentered around 1800 MHz, which can be used to demodulate the IFfrequency down to direct current within the BBM 710.

Within BBM 710, the IF signal can be divided into two paths with equalphase delays, and both paths can be applied to mixers A 715 and mixer B720. The second local oscillator signal (LO2) can have a precisefrequency equal to the IF signal frequency. The LO2 signal can bedivided into two paths. A first path can be applied to mixer A 715. Asecond path that has an electrical delay equivalent to 90 degrees ofphase shift relative to mixer A 715 can be applied to mixer B 720.

When the IF signal and the LO2 signal have identical frequency, aproduct at 0 frequency (direct current (DC)) is produced at the outputof mixer A 715 and mixer B 720 and can be defined as baseband. Thenon-phase locked, self-oscillating transmit pulse source output (e.g.,the output of magnetrons 205) can vary in frequency over the pulseduration. This frequency deviation can be maintained through the firstfrequency conversion to IF and to the frequency conversion to baseband.The result is a frequency deviation nominally centered around zerofrequency (DC) at the output of mixer A 715 that can be referred to as“in phase” (I), and mixer B 720 that can be referred to as Quadrature(Q), as a result of the LO2 signal to mixer B 720 being shifted 90degrees from that applied to mixer A 715. Together mixer A 715 and mixerB 720 output I and Q data or signal streams. The I signal stream can beapplied to analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 725, and the Q signalstream can be applied to ADC 730.

In traditional Doppler radars the nominal I and Q ADC sample rate isequal to 1/(pulse width). In the present technology, to adequatelycapture and store the frequency deviation of the transmit pulse, thesignal can be over sampled at a significantly higher ADC sample rate(e.g., nominally 20 MHz). The resulting digital data streams can befiltered using traditional digital filtering techniques to form I datasample 735 and Q data sample 740. In the illustrated embodiment, thesame receiver path is used to capture and digitize both the transmitpulse and return signal, which can ensure that the phase relationshipbetween the transmit pulse to return signal is maintained. In someembodiments, a frame of contiguous I data sample 735 and Q data sample740 can be stored in a memory. The frame can begin with the I datasample 735 and Q data sample 740 of the transmit pulse (e.g., transmitpulse data), and continue to store I data sample 735 and Q data sample740 for a time duration equal to “the time flight” of the transmit pulseto a target in the monitored volume at the maximum desired range, andthe return of the reflected pulse back through antenna 410 to the ADC725 and ADC 730 (e.g., return signal data). A time index and antennarotation index can be appended to each frame as required for subsequentprocessing.

In some embodiments, the technology can produce a unique frame for eachtransmitted radar pulse. The frames can be sent to a radar processor 135for further processing (e.g., Doppler processing). Radar processor 135can process the reflected returns within a frame using the capturedtransmit pulse data from within the same frame using match filtering, asis known to those of skill in the art. The complex phase relationship ofthe return signal to the transmit pulse can be maintained because thereturn signal is a direct product of the associated transmitted pulse,and because a common receiver and digitizer path is used. Once thiscomplex phase relationship is captured and normalized across a frame,the data is available to be processed by radar processor 135. Transmitpulse data and return signal data from subsequent frames are processedin a similar manner.

Beneficially, the systems and methods described herein permit Dopplerprocessing and Doppler integration to be completed across multipleframes with an increase in processing gain. This can mitigate the issueof pulse to pulse variation common to non-phase locked, self-oscillatingtransmit pulse sources such as magnetrons, which can limit their utilityin Doppler radar systems.

FIG. 2 illustrates Pulse Modulator slice 105. PM slice 105 can includethe electronics required to generate the transmit pulse. PM slice 105can include magnetrons 205 and magnetron power supplies 210. Magnetrons205 can connect to an external waveguide switch that sends the transmitRF signal to WGD 130. PM slice 105 can include Built-in-test (BIT)features that use subsystem information available on the radar bus forproblem detection. A prime/redundant switch system can allow either ofthe magnetrons 205 to function as the primary transmitter. Magnetrons205 can each have an independent power supply 210 for full redundancy.In the illustrated embodiment, PM slice 105 can be controlled by signals215 from RIC slice 110, as shown in FIG. 3.

While the embodiments described herein relate to a magnetron-based radarsystem, it should be appreciated that, in some embodiments, PulseModulator Slice 1 can utilize any open loop power oscillator operatingat any frequency to generate the transmit pulse.

PM slice 105 can receive a pulse start commands from the DataAcquisition (DAQ) module 745 transmitted through RIC slice 110 via aSPI-bus protocol located on a common backplane connector connecting PMslice 105, RIC slice 110, and SPM slice 120. In some embodiments,multiple pulse repetition frequencies can be supported.

FIG. 3 illustrates RIC slice 110. With reference to FIG. 3, RIC slice110 can include waveguide switch control 315 for selecting whichmagnetron of magnetrons 205 can be used, motor control 320 for rotatingthe antenna, optical encoder/NorCross control 325 for detecting antennaangular position with an optical encoder and North Cross (NorCross)optical sensor, and transmit/receive control 330 for controlling thetransmit and receive paths of the transmitted pulse and receive signal.In some embodiments, a control for enabling the magnetron heaterfilament operation and a control for blanking the transmit pulse as afunction of antenna azimuth angle is included. Beneficially, blankingthe transmit pulse as a function of antenna azimuth angle can enableradar system 100 to be effectively deactivated when operating inconjunction with other radar units covering large and irregular areas.

PM slice 105 can use redundant magnetrons 205 for multiple purposes.Magnetrons 205 can be used separately as replacements to help extendradar system 100 operating life time and/or magnetrons 205 can be usedsimultaneously and interleave their respective pulse recurrentfrequencies (PRFs) to increase the effective radar PRF. This can provideradar signal detection enhancement through Doppler integration, and canimprove the overall radar sensitivity and accuracy while extending theeffective range of radar system 100. Higher effective PRF can helpalleviate “blind speed” detection nulls.

FIG. 4 illustrates WGD 410. The RF pulse from the PM slice 105 can betransmitted to antenna 410 via waveguide switch 420, waveguidedirectional circulator 405, and rotary joint 425, while enabling bothsignal send and receive using directional circulator 405. Waveguide loopcoupler 415 can send the transmit signal for each pulse to the RFM slice115, where the transmit pulse can be attenuated and sampled for lateruse in detection of the transmit pulse characteristics in the receivesignal, as described herein. WGD 410 can include antenna-turning motor430 with the associated motor controller electronics 435, controlledfrom RIC slice 110. The motor control interfaces with optical encoderand norcross optical sensor 440 for accurate determination of the angleof antenna 410 using reference crossings (not shown). This informationcan be acquired in DAQ module 745.

The transmit signal can be passed through directional circulator 405 toantenna 410 and radiated through the designated external monitoringvolume. Antenna 410 can also receive the reflected portion of thetransmitted signal (e.g., return signal). The return signal passesthrough waveguide limiter 445 and waveguide filter 450. Waveguide filter450 can pass the signal to the RFM slice 115. In the illustratedembodiment, the transmit pulse can be nominally 9.41 GHz, with a 40 MHzbandwidth.

FIG. 5 illustrates RFM slice 115. The transmit pulse signal (e.g.,transmit pulse template) from waveguide loop coupler 415 is passedthrough adjustable attenuator 510 to a high isolation, SPDT microwaveswitch 515. The return signal from limiter 445 can be passed through lownoise amplifier 520, appropriately terminated and attenuated. The returnsignal passes from low noise amplifier 520 to microwave switch 515.Switch 515 is controlled by Microcontroller Unit (MCU) 525, passingeither the template pulse or the return signal through low noiseamplifier. The signal is mixed against a signal from LOM 705,appropriately amplified, and passed through intermediate frequencyfilter with, e.g., 5 MHz bandwidth. The intermediate frequency signal,or IF signal, can be nominally centered on 1800 MHz. The IF signal canbe processed using a combination of low noise amplifiers, gainadjustment, and bandpass filtering, and that data is provided to the BBM710.

FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary signal flow chart 600. In FIG. 6, transmitsignal 610 is received (e.g., from loop coupler 415). Transmit pulse 610passes through attenuator 615 to switch 635. Return signal 620 passesthrough amplifier 625 and attenuator 630 to switch 635. Switch 635 cancontrol whether transmit pulse 610 or return signal 620 is passed toamplifier 640. The signal from amplifier 640 passes through isolator 645to mixer 650. As described above, mixer 650 can apply a local oscillatorsignal with a precise frequency based on the transmit pulse. A LOM(e.g., LOM 705) can produce a signal that passes through Filter 655,doubler 660, and attenuator 665 into mixer 650. The signal from mixer650 then passes through isolator 670, filter 675, attenuator 680,amplifier 685, and filter 690 to generate the IF signal.

FIG. 7 depicts SPM slice 120. As discussed above, SPM slice 120 containsLOM 705, which operates as previously described. Within BBM 710, the IFsignal can be divided into two paths with equal phase delays, and bothpaths are applied to mixer A 715 and mixer B 720. A Local OscillatorModule (LOM) 705 of SPM slice 120 generates a local oscillator signalLO2 with a precise frequency equal to the IF signal frequency. The LO2signal can be divided into two paths. A first path can be applied tomixer A 715. A second path that has an electrical delay equivalent to 90degrees of phase shift relative to mixer A 715 can be applied to mixer B720. Mixer A 715 and mixer B 720 output I and Q data or signal streams.The I signal stream can be applied to ADC 725, and the Q signal streamcan be applied to ADC 730. A frame of contiguous I data sample 735 and Qdata sample 740 can be generated by interleaver 750 at a double datarate, and forwarded to the DAQ module 745. FPGA 755 of DAQ module 745can combine the interleaved I-Q samples with time and antenna positioninformation, and the entire frame of data can be transferred to radarprocessor 135.

Digital radar data (e.g., frames of transmit pulse data and returnsignal data) obtained using the technology described herein can befurther processed in a variety of ways, such as Moving Target Indicator(MTI), Moving Target Detection (MTD), and Pulse Doppler Detectionprocessing, as is well known by those of skill in the art.

The radar technology described herein can support the systems andmethods described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,876,260, issued Jan. 25, 2011, andassigned to Laufer Wind Group LLC. U.S. Pat. No. 7,876,260 describes, inpart, methods and systems for preventing and/or minimizing lightpollution by utilizing actively-controlled obstruction warning lights.The radar technology described herein can be incorporated into the radarunits described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,876,260.

The above-described techniques can be implemented in digital electroniccircuitry, or in computer hardware, firmware, software, or incombinations of them. The implementation can be as a computer programproduct, i.e., a computer program tangibly embodied in an informationcarrier, e.g., in a non-transitory machine-readable storage device, forexecution by, or to control the operation of, data processing apparatus,e.g., a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple computers. Acomputer program can be written in any form of programming language,including compiled or interpreted languages, and it can be deployed inany form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component,subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. Acomputer program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or onmultiple computers at one site or distributed across multiple sites andinterconnected by a communication network.

Method steps can be performed by one or more programmable processorsexecuting a computer program to perform functions of the technology byoperating on input data and generating output. Method steps can also beperformed by, and apparatus can be implemented as, special purpose logiccircuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC(application-specific integrated circuit). Modules can refer to portionsof the computer program and/or the processor/special circuitry thatimplements that functionality.

Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, byway of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, andany one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, aprocessor receives instructions and data from a read-only memory or arandom access memory or both. The essential elements of a computer are aprocessor for executing instructions and one or more memory devices forstoring instructions and data. Generally, a computer also includes, orbe operatively coupled to receive data from or transfer data to, orboth, one or more mass storage devices for storing data, e.g., magnetic,magneto-optical disks, or optical disks. Data transmission andinstructions can also occur over a communications network. Informationcarriers suitable for embodying computer program instructions and datainclude all forms of non-volatile memory, including by way of examplesemiconductor memory devices, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memorydevices; magnetic disks, e.g., internal hard disks or removable disks;magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor andthe memory can be supplemented by, or incorporated in special purposelogic circuitry.

To provide for interaction with a user, the above described techniquescan be implemented on a computer having a display device, e.g., a CRT(cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor, fordisplaying information to the user and a keyboard and a pointing device,e.g., a mouse or a trackball, by which the user can provide input to thecomputer (e.g., interact with a user interface element). Other kinds ofdevices can be used to provide for interaction with a user as well; forexample, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensoryfeedback, e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback;and input from the user can be received in any form, including acoustic,speech, or tactile input.

The above described techniques can be implemented in a distributedcomputing system that includes a back-end component, e.g., as a dataserver, and/or a middleware component, e.g., an application server,and/or a front-end component, e.g., a client computer having a graphicaluser interface and/or a Web browser through which a user can interactwith an example implementation, or any combination of such back-end,middleware, or front-end components. The components of the system can beinterconnected by any form or medium of digital data communication,e.g., a communication network. Examples of communication networksinclude a local area network (“LAN”) and a wide area network (“WAN”),e.g., the Internet, and include both wired and wireless networks.

The computing system can include clients and servers. A client andserver are generally remote from each other and typically interactthrough a communication network. The relationship of client and serverarises by virtue of computer programs running on the respectivecomputers and having a client-server relationship to each other.

The technology has been described in terms of particular embodiments.The alternatives described herein are examples for illustration only andnot to limit the alternatives in any way. The steps of the technologycan be performed in a different order and still achieve desirableresults. Other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method performed by a Doppler radar systemcomprising: generating, by the radar system, a transmit pulse;processing, by the radar system, a first portion of the transmit pulseto form transmit pulse data; directing, by the radar system, a secondportion of the transmit pulse into a monitored volume; receiving, by theradar system, a return signal, the return signal at least partiallycomprising a portion of the second portion of the transmit pulsereflected by one or more objects in the monitored volume; andprocessing, by the radar system, the return signal to form return signaldata.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing, by theradar system, the transmit pulse data and the return signal data to aDoppler processing module; comparing, by the Doppler processing module,the transmit pulse data and the return signal data to determine at leastone of relative phase information and relative frequency information. 3.The method of claim 1, wherein generating, by the radar system, thetransmit pulse comprises generating the transmit pulse with one or moreopen loop power oscillators.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the oneor more open loop power oscillators comprise one or more magnetrons. 5.The method of claim 1, further comprising: generating the transmit pulsewith a first open loop power oscillator; generating a second transmitpulse with a second open loop power oscillator.
 6. The method of claim1, further comprising: tuning a local oscillator based on one or morefrequencies of the transmit pulse; and wherein processing, by the radarsystem, the return signal to form the return signal data comprises downconverting the return signal based on a signal from the local oscillatorto form an intermediate frequency signal.
 7. The method of claim 1,further comprising: match filtering, by the radar system, the transmitpulse data and the return signal data to produce a match filteringresult.
 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising: performing, by theradar system, at least one of Doppler processing, clutter mapping, andconstant false alarm rate processing on the match filtering result.
 9. ADoppler radar system comprising: one or more RF sources; and a radarprocessing module configured to: generate, with the one or more RFsources, a transmit pulse; process a first portion of the transmit pulseto form transmit pulse data; direct a second portion of the transmitpulse into a monitored volume; receive a return signal, the returnsignal at least partially comprising a portion of the second portion ofthe transmit pulse reflected by one or more objects in the monitoredvolume; and process the return signal to form return signal data. 10.The Doppler radar system of claim 9, further comprising: a Dopplerprocessing module configured to compare the transmit pulse data and thereturn signal data to determine at least one of relative phaseinformation and relative frequency information.
 11. The Doppler radarsystem of claim 9 further comprising one or more open loop poweroscillators, wherein the radar processing module is further configuredto generate the transmit pulse with the one or more open loop poweroscillators.
 12. The Doppler radar system of claim 11, wherein the oneor more open loop power oscillators comprise one or more magnetrons. 13.The Doppler radar system of claim 9 further comprising: a first openloop power oscillator and a second open loop power oscillator; whereinthe radar processing module is further configured to generate thetransmit pulse with the first open loop power oscillator and generate asecond transmit pulse with the second open loop power oscillator. 14.The Doppler radar system of claim 9 further comprising: a localoscillator; wherein the radar processing module is further configuredto: to tune the local oscillator based on one or more frequencies of thetransmit pulse; and down convert the return signal based on a signalfrom the local oscillator to form an intermediate frequency signal. 15.The Doppler radar system of claim 14, wherein the radar processingmodule is further configured to: match filter the transmit pulse dataand the return signal data to produce a match filtering result.
 16. TheDoppler radar system of claim 15, wherein the radar processing module isfurther configured to: perform at least one of Doppler processing,clutter mapping, and constant false alarm rate processing on the matchfiltering result.
 17. A Doppler radar system comprising: one or more RFsources for generating a plurality of transmit pulses; a couplerconnected to the one or more RF sources, wherein the coupler receivesthe transmit pulses from the one or more RF sources; a radar processingmodule connected to the coupler, wherein the coupler is configured todirect a first portion of a transmit pulse of the plurality of transmitpulses from the one or more RF sources to the radar processing module;an antenna assembly connected to the coupler, wherein the coupler isconfigured to direct a second portion of the transmit pulse from the oneor more RF sources to the antenna assembly, and the antenna assemblyconfigured to receive a return signal at least partially comprising aportion of the second portion of the transmit pulse reflected by one ormore objects in a monitored volume and direct the return signal to theradar processing module; wherein the radar processing module is furtherconfigured to: process the first portion of the transmit pulse to formtransmit pulse data; and process the return signal to form return signaldata.
 18. The Doppler radar system of claim 17, further comprising: alocal oscillator tuned based on one or more frequencies of the transmitpulse.
 19. The Doppler radar system of claim 17, further comprising: aDoppler processing module configured to compare the transmit pulse dataand the return signal data to determine at least one of relative phaseinformation and relative frequency information.
 20. The Doppler radarsystem of claim 15, wherein the one or more RF sources comprise one ormore magnetrons.